Target Marks iPad 2 As End Of Life… Are They Expecting The iPad 3 In October?

Well, that’s certainly interesting. Target has just declared the iPad 2 in its end-of-life. Interesting, because it implies that Apple’s about to release the iPad 3, but ultimately, more likely some database enterers wishful thinking or a screw up than anything else.

First noted by TipB, the iPad 2 has been marked as discontinued at Target… well, at least the 16GB model in WiFi, Verizon and At&T flavors.

TipB hopefully asserts:

That implies that we will not be ordering more, which implies a new iPad is forthcoming rather soon (October-ish, say). Either that or Target’s exiting the iPad business, which seems unlikely. A lot of the cases have gone clearance too.

There is zero chance Apple is going to release an iPad 3 next month. Rumors always suggested that if Apple did release another iPad this year, it would expand the iPad into a product family, so it would be a different model entirely — an iPad Pro, or the like — and wouldn’t discontinue the existing iPad.

And why should Apple release the iPad 3 right now? The iPad 2’s sales momentum is a juggernaut right now, and the competition doesn’t have a single tablet that is competitive. Apple can comfortably wait until early next year to release their next tablet, if they want to.

About the author:

John Brownlee is a Contributing Editor. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.

Iphoneication

i think the end of life refers to 3g models,,, as most box stores, best buy, target, wall mart only carry wifi versions,,,, I’m pretty sure that is what is happening here,, no end of life for ipad2,, in favor of a three,,, apple won’t release the 3 till next year,

Whaleecho

I believe this is just clear evidence that apple is switching to a universal 3G model with the Qualcomm chip inside, CDMA and gsm, also an evidence of a combined iPhone 5

Live4boom

Could be as simple as IOS5 versions may have a different SKU.

Andrew

I can tell you having worked for Target in the past for about 7 years that items were often marked ‘discontinued’ for a year or more before we actually stopped carrying them. I never figured out why for sure, but from what I gadhered it just meant there weren’t any available to order from the DC at the time. This could indicate anything from an actual discontinued product to a shortage, or even just “your store won’t be carrying it anymore.” I notice the wifi only iPad is still ‘active’ so maybe Target (or at least that particular store) is only going to carry the wifi only iPads from now on due to lack of sales or availability of the 3G iPads.

Andrew

It could also mean that target is just realigning their item numbers (called DPCI’s) for the new fall lineup of electronics. They would ‘discontinue’ one DPCI and then reassign a new one to the same product. I ran into that issue when doing returns on items that, when they were originally sold, had a DPCI that was now reassigned to a lower cost item. This usually happened shortly after Christmas, so most of the DPCI changes would have happenedin the fall.

JW.

You don’t think that with PC-free activation and through this iPads becoming people’s primary device that Apple might just be ditching the entry level models and maybe, just maybe releasing a 128 GB?

Mfoleyny

I think it may simply mean that the Target distribution centers are at full stock….those are huge facilities and they could certainly hold enough iPads to last all Targets to next April

Trrosen

Yes seeing as only the 3G models were EOLed I think we will see a universal 3G or even a 4g iPad 2. Since the 3G is in a modual it would be quite easy to make that upgrade without any other changes. I’m guessing I would also include tmobile frequencies too.

InformationWorkshop

As usual, the commenters write a more interesting and informative piece that the original author did.

Felfac

Its Tipb not TipB and should gt alot more attenton it awsome

Sevan Grim

…how are you a journalist? There will be no ipad 3 this month or next year BECAUSE THE 2 JUST CAME OUT!! Same reason there wont be an iphone 5. Not only did Apple JUST release the verizon 4, not only is the Iphone 4 doing so strongly thatt they would be hurting themselves to create a 5 while their still producing and selling 4s, But its only been 15 months. The reality is, the iphone 4 is really only the 2nd iphone. the 3g was a 1.1 (a minor upgrade from the original) and the 3gs was like a 1.2. it took 3 years to get the 4. They will not make a 5 in half the time. we are looking at a slim, and MAYBE a slightly modified 4. but it will not be a 5, and im sick of you “journalist” pushing this idea of instant upgraded phone and tablets to the less informed masses.

Bill the Binman

Indeed it is you who are wrong – on iPhone at least.

Cupertino will release two iphones in October…

Sevan Grim

and i assume you are one of the higher ups at Apple? i mean, you must be to be able to call out the future…